It’s Oktoberfest time! And—what better way to celebrate than by incorporating your Big Green Egg into making some outstanding bratwurst? Why not make them even better by wrapping them up in some homemade pretzel dough? Take a look, try these recipes, and let us know what you think!

Old-Fashioned Brats in Beer

• 1 12 oz can of beer (a heartier dark ale or stout will richen the flavor!)
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 4 bratwurst
• 1 can sauerkraut
• ¼ cup bell pepper

Make it:

• Combine beer and caraway seed in a medium skillet.
• Prick each bratwurst several times with a fork & add to the skillet w/beer mixture
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until brats are no longer pink.
• Remove brats from skillet; add drained sauerkraut and chopped bell pepper to beer and heat until hot.
• Heat your Big Green Egg to 350 degrees and place brats on the Egg. Turn frequently until browned (about 4-6 minutes).

Pretzel Hot Dog Buns/Wraps

• 1 cup milk
• 8½ cups water
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 small garlic cloves, grated
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (set aside some for dusting)
• 1 cup bread flour
• ½ cup baking soda
• Coarse ground sea salt

Make it:

• Heat the milk, ½ cup water, sugar & honey in a small saucepan till the mixture reaches between 105 and 110 degrees.
• Take this mixture and add to a stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and wait for 10-15 minutes till yeast blooms.
• Add butter and garlic to another saucepan and cook for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
• Combine all-purpose flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the blooming yeast mix. Then, add butter & garlic.
• Mix on medium speed until the dough has come together. You want it to be smooth and elastic texture. (Should take around 5-7 minutes to achieve this consistency.)
• Cut into 4-8 equal pieces, roll into balls & place on a silicone cutting board. Cover with a dishcloth or towel and let the dough rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
• Once rested, lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the balls into logs. Let the logs sit covered for an additional 30 minutes in a warm place.
• Take a large pot and boil 8 cups water, then add the baking soda to the boiling water.
• Place the dough in the water, cooking for 30 seconds on each side.

Once you’ve got the brats grilled and the pretzel dough made, slightly roll out the dough logs. Place a brat in the center of each cut dough log. If desired, take a small amount of the drained sauerkraut/pepper mix and place on top of the brat, then wrap the brat with the dough. Sprinkle the logs with sea salt and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Add some of the remaining sauerkraut/peppers to each plate as a garnish. Oh, and of course, enjoy with some sweet mustard and good beer.